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(No Model.)

0. H. SMITH. KEY LEVELING DEVICE FOR PIANOS.

No. 401,309. Patented Apr. 9, 1889.

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4 {UNITED STATES;

CHARLES n. snrrn, or rt'r-Liix'ra, G E'dRG'L-LQ KEY-LEVELING DEVliDE FORPiANOS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,309, datedApril 9, 1889. Application filed March 12, 1883. Serial No. 267,048. (Nomodel!) d I To (all (071.0112, it may concern..-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES ll. Snrrn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, haveinvented a new and useful Adjustable Piano or Organ Key; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention. relates to the adjustment of piano and organ keys asregards height, the object being to provide :nieans to adjust morereadily their outer or free ends to a uniform height. Asheretoitoreconstructed, it is necessary in pianos to put paper of various th;ltnesses, as required, under the :t'elt washers on the center pins, andin organ to thicken in some way the felt cushions again: 1 which. thevalve-pins press, both of which processes are difficult ofaccomplishment and require to be often repeated. The dilficulties ofthese adjustments are, however, entirely overcome by my invention, whichconsists of an adjns able central bearin g on the key that will bringthe free ends of he keys level. when in their nornial position, theparticulars of which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a piz'ino-key,partly in section, showing the tongue that forms its tnlcrunial bearing,and which is adjusted by a .crew. Fig. 2 is a side view of an orgairkey,showing the central bottom part of the key the point where it re ts onthe valve-pin cut to form a tongue, which is adjusted by ascrew, asshown. in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of a piano-hey showing a pieceol? wood inserted in the bottom of the key-lover to form the tongue andfastened at one end, the other being left free to be adjusted by theadjustingscrcw. This figure also shows a piece of wood insertedcrosswise to strengthen the tongue. l ig. at is a side view ofapianodtcy, showing a metal. tongue inserted and the ad ,justing screwplaced between. the center pin and the fastening of the tongue to thelcey. Fig. is a bottom view of Fig. st. Fig. (3 is a section of aportion of a 'iiano-key, showing a. niodi iication of Fig. 1. t

In the several. figures, like reference-marks indicating correspondingparts in the several.

views, A. is a cept Fig. i, in which. it is an organ-key.

piano-key in all the figures ex- B is the in on which the hey ispivoted,

and C is the guide-pin that prevents lateral n'iovenient.

I), Fig ii is the valve-pin of an organ. On

the bottom of the key-lever is a tongue, 0, which. may be formed in agreat variety of ways, several of which are shown in the drawings.

The inner portion 05 the ends of pianodzeys when. in their nori'nalposition and of organ keys at all times is arbitrary, the relativeheight of the outer ends being governed by the central bcaringin thecase of pianos on the center-bar and of organs on the valvepins. it istherefore necessary to adjust the height at that central hearing, whichI do by means of the screw E, which is screwed through the key andagainst the tongue (1-. It is obvious thatthe forcing down of thistongue will raise the outer end of the key, and that it may be adjustedto the desired. height without the use of paper or other lining materialunder the felt cushion.-

lhe tongue (L may be made integrally with as shown in Figs. 1, f3, and6, or .erted, formed of a separate piece, as shown in 3, a, and 5. InFig. 3 it is shown having considerable thickness, as would be requiredif made of wood, and would preferably be made of hard wood and have astrip of hard wood, a, inserted, with its grain running across thetongue, for the screw to pre s against to prevent the splitting orwarping or the tongue, The strip a may be inserted. in any of the otherforms of tongue shown, except that in Figs. a; and which rep resent ametal tongue with the screw pressing against it between the end at whichit attached to the key and the end that rests on the central support ofthe hey. Any of he other terms of tongue shown may be adjusted by ascrew in the position shown in Fig. 5.

In pianos, the tongue being at the pivotal point, the hole through thetongue may fit the center pin, as shown in Figs, 1 and 3, or the 5 inthe tongue; or the end of the tongue may be bifurcatedto obviate anypossibility of binding.

It is immaterial t) this invention whether the tongues 11 are formedintegrally with the 10 key, as shown in Figs. 1,2, and 6, or attached toit, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, or in any other suitable manner, solong as it is free to be adjusted by the screw E. It is also immaterialwhether it be of wood, metal, or other I5 material, so long as itperforms thefunctions herein described.

The tongue may and preferably should be so proportioned that it willhave some perceptible elasticity, in order to yield slightly and 20 givea softness to the touch, which elasticity will prove of great advantage.This elasticity of touch is more uniform than can'be obtained by anyother device known to me, and the device obviates the necessity ofspending so much time in leveling up the keys, which is a great saving,especially in old instruments in which nearly the 'whole key-boardrequires more or less adjustment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In the key of a musical instrument, the combination of the tongue a andthe screw E, substantially as shown and described, and for the purposespecified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

7 CHARLES H. SMITH.

Witnesses:

A. P. WOOD, ALBERT A. Woon.

